Part-Time Job Search Tips for Working Parents

If you’re a parent who has been laid off due to COVID-19 – or if you’re re-entering the workforce after a hiatus – you might be looking to supplement income with a part-time job.

The good news is that there are plenty of part-time positions, work from home opportunities, and gig jobs available that are great for busy parents. With some careful consideration and planning, you can be well on your way to earning extra income with a rewarding part-time job.

Before You Start Your Part-Time Job Search

There are certain things that you and your family should carefully consider prior to beginning your search for a part-time job. Some top concerns to address include:

• Hours of availability — Are your kids learning virtually? Do you have another job? When does your spouse have to work? Determining your hours of availability will help narrow down what types of part-time or gig jobs you can take.

• Childcare — Working parents already know the struggle of finding childcare in order to secure a job. Although this can be frustrating, particularly during the childcare shortage we’re currently experiencing, it’s something that must be addressed prior to you accepting a new job.

• Potential COVID-19 exposure — Do you have anyone in your life that’s at high risk for COVID-19 complications? If so, you may want to narrow the part-time jobs you’re willing to do to at-home roles or no-contact roles.

• Flexibility — You may not find your dream job during these challenging times. As such, being flexible and open to opportunities is great advice for working parents.

What Types of Jobs Should You Look For?

After you’ve sat down with your family and determined what you’re looking for in a role and your ideal environment, it’s time to start the job search. To make it simple, here are some broad categories of types of part-time jobs for working parents:

• Standard part-time jobs — As the pandemic continues, large retail and grocery stores continue to have open part-time positions. In a similar fashion, online retailers and delivery companies need to fill positions to help meet the demand of online shoppers. These roles will be more traditional and require a commitment to a set schedule. 

• Remote traditional part-time jobs — If your situation is not conducive to a standard in-person part-time job, don’t worry. There are countless remote part-time jobs you can search for to fulfill your need to earn additional income. Some examples of plentiful part-time jobs available right now include:
  • Customer service rep
  • Data entry specialist
  • Virtual assistant
  • Remote scheduler
  • Virtual tutor
  • Freelancer

With these roles, you may be required to work a set schedule and you may still need to secure childcare. However, because you’re working from home, you may be able to navigate this type of role more easily than going to a job at a store or warehouse.

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• Gig roles —When looking for a flexible part-time role you can do on your own time, you may find the gig role is the best fit for your needs. Some common gig roles available now include:
  • Food delivery driver
  • Grocery shopper and delivery driver

Additionally, you can usually set your own hours with gig jobs, which may be the right fit if you don’t have reliable childcare or available working hours.

If you’re a parent searching for a part-time job or gig job on iHire, be sure to look for the “Part-Time” tag next to jobs postings. You can also opt into our Gig & Part-Time Job Alert on notifications page to get fresh part-time jobs delivered to your inbox.